Relativistic attosecond electron pulses from a free-space laser-acceleration scheme

Journal Article · Sun Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVE.74.045602· OSTI ID:21072322

Varin, Charles; Piche, Michel ^[1]

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1. Centre d'optique, photonique et laser, Universite Laval, Quebec, Qc, G1K 7P4 (Canada)

In this paper we describe how relativistic attosecond electron pulses could be produced in free space by ultrafast and ultraintense transverse magnetic (TM) laser beams. Numerical solutions of the time-dependent three-dimensional Maxwell-Lorentz equations reveal that electrons initially at rest at the waist of a multi-TW pulsed TM{sub 01} laser beam can be accelerated to multi-MeV energies. The use of a few-cycle laser beam and a compact initial electron cloud forces the particles to effectively interact with a single half-cycle of the laser field and form a pulse of attosecond duration.

• OSTI ID: 21072322
• Journal Information: Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics, Vol. 74, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.74.045602; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-651X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRONS
LASER RADIATION
MEV RANGE
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PULSES
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TIME DEPENDENCE